Range Of Serial Numbers

check this website out.
https://banknotes.rba.gov.au/resour...ial-numbers/

-Great question @amaturerollcoins & one I have been working on for the last 6 years or more.

The general rule of thumb is AA22, AB22, AC22, etc using up a preset list of letters until transitioning to BA22, BB22, BC22, etc. The prefix includes the last 2 numbers of the year the note was printed so the examples I have provided are examples if a new series were started this year (2022). However, RBA has been issuing notes from 2020 so notes go from AA20 to EJ20 for the $5 (etc).

Generally the prefixes carry on from years before & the year notes printed change. The signatures (Governors/Secretary to Treasurer) may be changed (newly appointed) while the prefix letters change. That is why 1 prefix (per denomination) may change & be short (& those are the ones collectors go for).

For example, if you SELECT THE YEAR: 2002 on the RBA site, you will see that the McFarlane-Henry prefixes start at BA02 & end at EA02. If you go on the Coins And Australia site, you'll see that the BA02 & EA02 have extra premiums:
(CCF won't allow me to post the Coins and Australia site but you can find it on google)

I have used the BNM (Bank Note Museum) also for a guide:
http://www.banknote.ws/COLLECTION/c...%20AUSTRALIA

Coins And Australia's site also has a guide for pre-decimal too (just google it).

It would be possible ttkoo but I've never seen such a set advertised.
I think for collector sets with such combinations have been sold in the past but not since the 1990s as far as I remember.

-Provided # weren't below 5361359 for the $50 (if you wanted the signatures to match too). I have seen pairs of matched numbers like that for sale (& premium) but they were random #, not special 2 digit radars like 0202020. I've seen a few sets from GB too (so they must follow a similar system).

It is interesting to see that the last $10 was printed in 2017 (like Canada our Tens are not as popular as other denominations & only trickle out).

Also one doesn't have to go too far back to find some interesting short change-over tough prefixes.
2018:
$5 EJ up to 0622404 with Lowe/Fraser signature combo
2019
$5 EJ up to 0218163 with Lowe/Kennedy signature combo
(would be nice to get EJ18 0202020 & EJ19 0202020 $5.00!)
$20 EA up to 0189258 with Lowe/Fraser
$20EA from 0200005 to 3470047 with Lowe/Gaetjens
(I remember looking for the $20 last year but every seller wanting tomorrow's prices for one on ebay)

-Ignoring prefixes is like ignoring metal content in a coin.

Serial number, prefix & signatures make the note! They are as important (& to some more important) than condition or grade.

-I have seen similar comments by dealers of modern Canadian coins/banknotes who dismiss modern polymer rarities probably b/c they don't perceive that they sell (well enough for them). There are a couple short prefixes (2011 $5 HAE, 2010 $20 AUB) from the Journey series that are very scarce but the $10 Macklem-Carney FTH, $20 BSW, $50 AMK are next to impossible to find. And the dealers never carry them just b/c they're not interested in modern banknotes (& cannot be bothered to memorize the scarce prefixes).